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UPDATE: The lights went out again at 6:43 p.m. just as the San Francisco 49ers had kicked off to the Steelers after scoring a field goal. The power outage occurred at the 12:13 mark of the 2nd quarter with the Niners up 6-0.

The nationally televised "Monday Night Football" game had just gone to a commercial break when the majority of the lights in Candlestick Park faded out to black. Backup generators kept the ads and scoreboard lit up.

The lights are back on as of 6:55 p.m. and play has resumed.

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Monday Night Football just turned into Monday night blackout.

A power outage at Candlestick Park has disrupted the "Monday Night Football" match between the San Francisco 49ers and Pittsburgh Steelers right before the start of the game.

Click on the photo at right to see more pictures or scroll down to see video of the moment the lights went out.

News outlets report that the cause of the outage is due to issues with a transformer near the stadium.

In another example of why the Niners need a new playing field, the power outage highlights the fact that Candlestick is one of the oldest facilities in the NFL.

Broadcasters on the field are reporting that most of the lights are back on as of 5:37 p.m.

The game has been delayed. ESPN reports the national anthem will start within minutes, with kickoff soon after.